Tennis Australia has welcomed a new partner to the Australian Open, with Coopers signing a multi-year deal to become the official beer and cider partner of the Grand Slam of Asia-Pacific from 2017.

Australia’s largest family owned brewery will also support Emirates Australian Open Series events Brisbane International presented by Suncorp, Apia International Sydney, Hobart International and World Tennis Challenge (Adelaide) from this summer, as well as Hopman Cup (Perth) from 2018.

Tennis Australia CEO and Australian Open Tournament Director Craig Tiley said Coopers was a perfect fit for the Australian summer of tennis.

“We’re delighted to welcome Coopers, an iconic and much-loved Australian brand, to the Australian Open family,” he said.

“The Australian Open is not just about world class tennis, it’s a fantastic social event that attracts hundreds of thousands of fans to Melbourne Park each year. It’s a highlight of the summer and Coopers is a great match for the relaxed Aussie atmosphere our fans love.

“We look forward to partnering with Coopers to deliver a range of exciting initiatives at tennis events around the country that will continue to enhance the fan experience.”

Tennis Australia Commercial Director Richard Heaselgrave said Coopers and the Australian Open shared strong family values.

“We pride ourselves on delivering a world class event and are delighted to partner with a company that shares our strong family ethos,” he said.

Cam Pearce, Sales and Marketing Director at Coopers, said: “We are very excited that one of this country’s premier sporting events, which has such broad and diverse appeal, will now be sponsored by a beer company that is still Australian owned and family run.

“We firmly believe Coopers and Tennis Australia will be a powerful union that will enable us to provide unique and memorable brand experiences for our collective customers, and this makes the partnership a perfect fit for Coopers.”

Australian Open 2017 gets under way at Melbourne Park on Monday 16 January. Multi-session tickets will be on sale to the general public on Wednesday 5 October and single session tickets on sale on Tuesday 11 October.